Chapter 14 - THE CHOICE THAT CHANGED ADRIAN MERCER
"Put the gun down."
Adrian's voice was calm.
Too calm.
Victor smiled.
"You still think you can command everyone."
"No."
Adrian looked at Claire.
Then at Lily's photo in his hand.
"I know exactly who I'm dealing with."
Victor laughed.
"You think you know me?"
Adrian stared at him.
"I know you better than anyone."
That made Victor pause.
"You always hated being second."
Silence.
"You blamed everyone else because you couldn't accept the truth."
Victor's face changed.
"Careful."
"You weren't betrayed."
Adrian stepped forward.
"You were angry because you were never willing to become better."
Victor's hand tightened around the gun.
"Shut up."
"You wanted what I had."
A pause.
"But you never wanted the responsibility that came with it."
The factory became silent.
Claire watched the brothers.
Two men.
Same blood.
Different choices.
Victor looked at Rebecca.
"Tell him."
She looked confused.
"Tell him what?"
"The truth."
Rebecca's expression changed.
Victor smiled.
"Tell Adrian who really caused the accident."
Adrian turned.
"What accident?"
Rebecca looked at Evelyn.
Then Victor.
Her face became pale.
"Adrian..."
"What accident?"
Evelyn closed her eyes.
"Your father's death."
The silence was deafening.
Adrian stared.
"What?"
Rebecca whispered:
"It wasn't an accident."
Claire felt her heart stop.
Victor smiled.
"Finally."
Adrian looked at his mother.
"Who did it?"
Nobody answered.
Then Evelyn said:
"Victor."
The world seemed to stop.
Adrian looked at his brother.
"No."
Victor laughed.
"You still defend me?"
"I don't believe you."
"You never did."
Victor's voice cracked.
"You always thought you were the good son."
A pause.
"But you were just the son who survived."
Adrian looked devastated.
Victor continued.
"Father was going to give you everything."
"He was going to leave me with nothing."
"So I fixed the problem."
Claire felt sick.
"You killed your own father?"
Victor looked at her.
"People do terrible things when they feel forgotten."
Adrian stared at him.
"You ruined everything."
Victor smiled sadly.
"No."
"I made you who you are."
That sentence hit harder than any weapon.
Because Adrian knew part of it was true.
Pain had built him.
Loss had shaped him.
But it didn't own him.
Adrian looked at Claire.
And something changed.
A decision.
A choice.
Then he stepped away.
Victor frowned.
"What are you doing?"
Adrian raised his hands.
"I'm choosing."
"Choosing what?"
"I'm done being controlled by this family."
Everyone went silent.
Adrian looked at Rebecca.
"I'm done living in the past."
Then Evelyn.
"I'm done carrying my father's sins."
Then Victor.
"And I'm done letting you decide who I am."
Victor's expression hardened.
"You think this makes you better?"
"No."
Adrian looked at him.
"I think it makes me free."
A sudden sound came from outside.
Sirens.
Victor's face changed.
"What did you do?"
Marcus stepped into the factory.
Along with armed security.
"You talk too much."
Victor looked shocked.
Marcus continued:
"You also forgot one thing."
"What?"
"Adrian Mercer doesn't fight alone."
Chaos exploded.
Security moved.
Victor tried to escape.
But Adrian followed.
They ended up in the center of the factory.
Two brothers.
One final confrontation.
Victor pointed the gun again.
Adrian didn't move.
"Go ahead."
Claire screamed:
"Adrian!"
But he didn't look away.
"Do it."
Victor hesitated.
Because Adrian wasn't afraid.
Not anymore.
"You can't."
Victor's hand shook.
"Why?"
"Because deep down..."
Adrian stepped closer.
"You never wanted to kill me."
A pause.
"You wanted me to choose you."
The gun lowered slightly.
And for one second...
Victor looked like the broken child he once was.
Then he made a choice.
May you like
And before anyone could stop him...
he pulled the trigger.
